Monday, December 4, 2017

So they have Peanut butter here in the hood so that is good.

I'm sorry for no photos this week again the computers here don't allow my camera to upload photos.

Okay so this week has been intense to say the least, my companion is from Equador and he speaks some english so with my spanish and his english we are able to communicate clearly. We live in a NYC style appartment (in size only) and we are the only elders there. We go tracting in what is basically a complex but on steririods, and is a lot worse, they are called Mono Blocks. I actually really like the area oddly enough. Imagine a post apocolyptic city and that is basically where I am. Most people are very nice and very religous, it has become very difficult to teach some people when all they say is I am Cathlolic I don't need you. I can understand and have certain conversations now, I had a conversation with a lady about the different parts of the mouth you use when talking English but I can't hold a converstation  about what I ate yesterday. I have one of teh instructors at the CCM in my ward that is freaking awesome, I saw him on Sunday and he look at me and in perfect english said Hello Elder Belnap, welcome to Ciudad Evita Ward. That was an awesome feeling at a time that I was very nervous. Christmas is weird down here, no snow but all of their decorations have snow on them, I'm not sure if I should be laughing about it or be feeling really sorry that they don't have the opportunity to experience snow.

One of the newer things that I have to do in the field is hiding money, every week when we take out money from the ATM we then immediately go into the bathroom and stuff are socks with the cash so that if we are stopped ''we don't have anything.'' Also a kind of funny moment that was pretty cool was when we were going to enter the Mono Blocks and my companion stopped me and said you should take off your ring and your watch. So from now on I only go tracting with a ring on and no watch. I never feel in danger here, the Lord has protected us the entire time, the dogs here don't go near us for the most part and when they do we scare them off. 

WE HAVE THIS ONE INVESTIGATOR THAT IS THE SPANISH VERSION OF MAMA BEUS, SALLY MURRAY AND SISTER MINER COMBINED. Oh my goodness that honestly was the best thing that happend all week was meeting this lady, I am not even joking when I say that I almost broke down crying when I talked to her. She is an investigator and shew already has the a HUGE spirit with her, I am so happy to have her in our area and to talk to her. She runs a little kiosco out of her house (it is basically a little corner stre of sorts), and she is welcoming to all people that stop by. She helped me with my spanish and was very understanding when I made a mistake. It is people like that who are the best in the entire world. 

There is one other member that popped into my head Hermano Rosales. He is another person that I look up to, he doesn't speak very well and he is very very hard to understand but he loves the missionaries and, makes things for us all of the time, he is another person that I almost broke down in front of him because of his humility and faith. 

That  is about it for this week,

I love you all,

Elder Belnap

THREAD BETWEEN CAB AND SJB  Nov 6 - Dec 4

Nov 6

CAB: Hey bud I just wanted to write you real quick and let you know how much I love you. Hope everything is treating you well and that you’re not feeling too lonely. Sorry that this is so short. Much love!  Phillipians 4:13

Nov 9

SJB:  Hey bro thanks for the scripture, I love you.  Things are crazy downhere.  We went out tracting in our area this past Saturday and I didn't tell mom this but the dogs here are intense.  ONE ALMOST BIT ME.  It was on the otherside of a fence and almost got me through the gate.  I freadked out for a second.  This place is awesome but it feels like the wild west.  I can't wait to go out tracting again.  Question for you, how long did it take for you to get the language down and feel comfortable talking to strangers?

Also I no longer have the need to poop, I literally have complete control over my bowels . . . I HAVE ALL THE POWER!!!!!  I just sit on the toilet and just say okay body let me go poop and then I poop.

CAB: Haha I'm screenshotting and sending that ti David.

Nov 16

SJB:  Nov. 16  Well my gift of complete control has officially left, it was amazing while it lasted.  Also, let me know how everyone is doing,  I'll let you know with all of the crazy stuff that happens here.

CAB:   Nothing special is going on, we went to an Amy Grant concert, that was cool.  How are things with you?

Nov 23

SJB:  Dude, life is crazy, we are finishing up here, I head out next week and I can't freaking wait to go out into the field.  I haven't heard from David yet and was wondering how he is doing.

CAB:  He is doing well. He's working and has an internship.  Happy Thanksgiving!  We love and miss you bud, keep fighting the good fight!

SJB:  Dude, John Scowcroft died what happened there????

CAB:  He had cancer for a while now and he finally passed.

SJB:  Man that is awful, thanks for letting me know.  I love you and I;ll talk to you ina week and a half

CAB: What will your P-day be?

Dec 4

SJB:   Now

CAB:  Gud 2 kno

SJB:  Sorry man here things are really disorganized but don't stay up late or get up early on my part next week I am going to try and get a later time

CAB:  You're fine I went to bed at 8:30 and got up at 3:30 to do homework.

SJB:   Dude, life here is crazy  I am kind of freaking out a little bit, but I love it at the same time.

CAB:  In what ways are you freaking out?

SJB:  Well to start off, I barely know the language, and I am tracting in some pretty serious ghetto at times, but it is just really hard to understand people.

CAB:  Which is natural, you just work hard and the language will come with time.  Be willing to admit to yourself what you're not good at and change accordingly.

SJB:  Okay, thanks man, it is just very hard to not be able to talk with the family when I am felling down.

CAB:  I get that dude, I've been there.  You've go a lot of people cheering you on!  We love you and you're doing great things.  The mission is not fo you, but in the process of going out and serving others with a desire to bring them to Christ your heart will change.  "Forget yourself and go to work" is an invitation to worry about all the people who need the gospel and trust that the Lord will help you to change as needed as you focus on them.

SJB:  Okay, I need to hear that, Mom never sent me a letter, would you mind filling me in on the family?

CAB:  Dec 4:  Hahaha I don't know dude what's going on. I'm busy at school, busier than I've ever been.  The basement is all done it's pretty cool.  That's about how much I can tell you.

SJB:  Okay, that is better than nothing, how is school for you?

CAB:  Crazy dude.  There's a reason why I got up at 3:30 and went to bed at 8:30 haha

SJB:  Dude that sounds awful.

CAB: The sacrifices that need to be made my friend.  It's ok, I feel good, read Ether 12 this morning and Matthew 2.  Even though Christmas doesn't look anything like it does at home, Christ is the constant wherever you are, so just go enjoy a Christmas focused on the Savior.  Learn about him as much as you can this season, and I promise you'll have a good Christmas.

You still on?

SJB:  Yup I am, I am on until 10:30.

CAB:  What time is it for you right now?

SJB: 9:43

CAB:  I'm excited

SJB:  I sent it to you now

CAB:  Haha what's that face you're making in the picture?  Also share your spiritual experiences, we all want to hear those in your letters.

SJB:  The sun was in my eyes and it was really hot.

CAB:  Haha ok ok

SJB:  But yeah, I know I look pretty stupid.  Hey I have a question, what did you do when you would see an attractive girl?

CAB:  Hahahaha hahahahahahahaha.  Run away, they're snakes.  No I just think you remind yourself why you're there.  It's not a bad thing that she's attractive and just because you're a missionary doesn't mean you're a bad person for noticiing that.  Just don't dwell on it.  Say "ok she's attractive. And so what, I'm a missionary" and move on with your life.  It takes practice.

SJB"  Play, I have been saying you soy un misionario do la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimo dias.  You no tengo tiempro por chicas en ropas sexuales.(because that is all they wear here.)

CAB:  Yeah, just don't swell on it.  Like you noticed they're attractive and . . . ?

SJB:  That is all,  the people spend all of their money on clothes and accessories and I am a very tall american man and the girls sometimes look at me funny and I don't like it.

CAB:  Year, get used to it bud.  They'll do that your whole mission.

SJB:  Okay, hey what do you think of the other part oto the letter?

CAB:  I want to meet that lady haha

SJB:  Dude she is the freaking best, I was having kind of a crap day and my companion and I went to this Kiosco to get a snack and he didn't tell me about her before hand, so when I went to shake her hand she took it and did everything that all of those people did in five seconds, she welcomed me before I even said a single word to her. she held my hand and smiled at me with all of the love of a grandmother